(Daaaannngg! Those days are always wack. Like you wake up all like: Did I just like time travel? XD XD)
Jamie had been lucky enough to get a practically undisturbed rest. No nightmares, no tossing and turning.
Though he didn’t expect to be woken after the whole night. He had thought Ember would have taken her turn to sleep.
He was very confused when he stirred at the sound of her voice, looking around. The amount of light was confusing. What time was it?
“Huh…? Ember? Mmm… why ‘sit so bright?” He asked sleepily, yawning and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
His usually fluffy hair was a mess, poking out this way and that. His bed head was awful.
(Sorry for disappearing from notebook 💀💀💀)
"Because it's morning," Ember couldn't help the soft smile at his bed head. While Ember thought that Jamie's hair was cute, she on the other hand looked like crap.
The bags under her eyes from death- though this time it was from lack of sleep- had returned. Not to mention the pasty whiteness.
(You’re alright. I kinda died too. It’s been one heck of a week.)
“Morning!?” Suddenly he was very awake, his eyes wide as he took in her appearance. “Why didn’t you wake me up? You need sleep. You’re kinda living now. Sleep is necessary.” He chided, moving closer so he could study her face.
He huffed softly, rubbing at his own face.
“Why didn’t you sleep?”
(More like one heck of a month, getting to chat with ya'll on the discord today was destressing tho. Even though i didn't stay to long 😭)
"Because," that was the only answer the reaper gave. She didn't feel like explaining the paranoia, or the fact that he just looked to peaceful. Besides, Ember had needed the time to think. "And I know I'm living now," Ember narrowd her eyes. She was a bit irritable from lack of sleep. "Forgetting would be kinda hard."
How could she forget? In fact the whole thing had been quite traumatic- it was hard to believe she'd forgotten her first death. Or maybe being a reaper had something to do with that. Ember didnt entirely know.
(That’s a mood actually. I feel ya. It’s been a bit of a stressful year too so that doesn’t help at all.)
He gave her a weary look, not wanting to pry but knowing that it wasn’t good for her to not sleep.
“If we’re still here by tonight, you’re sleeping even if I have to force you to lay down. It’s not good for you.” He huffed, though it wasn’t annoyance that laced his tone. It was concern.
“Forgetting would be hard. But I’m sure everything will be sorted out.” He nodded his head firmly, almost as if to reassure himself.
(Ahhhh thank you 🥺)
"And if I still refuse?" The Reaper couldn't help the hit of irritation. Sleeping was the last thing on her list right now. All that really mattered was keeping Jamie safe. Even if it meant letting Audric erase her. But that didn't make the thought any less terrifying.
Ember pressed the palms of her hands into her eyes. She was starting to think that was her only option.
Taking Jamie back to the after life felt…wrong. being alive felt wrong. Everything felt wrong- except being with Jaime. That made sense. It felt right.
That was the other thing that terrified Ember.
(Np np, sorry for the wait! I was repotting some succulents)
Jamie let out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head softly. “Then I can’t do anything… but I’ll worry. A lot.” He murmured quietly, biting his lip.
Ember was determined to save Jamie but Jamie was determined to save Ember. It was so unfair of him to live while she died. He shouldn’t have even gotten a second chance, his time was up. She was supposed to take him to the afterlife.
When and how did it get so complicated?!
Why did Jamie even feel anything towards her. She was merely doing her job
(I'm so angry I hit the back button and lost my response 💀)
Embers faced softened, "sorry." She had no right to be upset with Jamie. He hadn't done anything wrong. "I'll sleep later, I promise. But right now I need to figure things out." The first one being as to how Audric had gotten them back here.
Yes she knew He'd killed them the same way they'd died the first time. But it didn't make sense. How did he even know to do that? How was he still alive all these years later if he'd first Killed Ember two decades ago?
She shook her head. Those where questions for when she found him.
The reaper stood, stretching out her arm and testing for any pain. There was none. In fact it felt almost as if she'd never been attacked by a crawler in the first place.
She tugged the bandages aside to look. Only a scar remained. Ember beamed, holding her arm up for Jamie to see. "I'm still a reaper." Though it didn't heal nearly as fast as it should have- not to mention the scars- it meant something atleast.
Menwhile in the Reaper realm
It was chaos, Reapers where going missing left and right. Cralwers seemed to be attacking in larger groups. The city's of lost soul's where losing their protection.
"We must do something," a Reaper declared. "The after life will fall into ruins without our guidance. People are constantly dying, we need a solution."
Audric grined. He was by no means apart of this council. But desprite times called for desprite measures. Surely they'd be willing to listen.
So when he opened his mouth to speak, he formed a great lie. It wasn't long before the Reapers where on his side. They all agreed, a rouge Reaper had to go. And Audric had their support for killing Ember and Jamie.
(Nooooooo I hate it when that happennnsss)
“Thank you. Your health is important…” he murmured, running his fingers through his messy hair and groaning.
This was all so complicated. It felt wrong to keep going about his life so he couldn’t do that. But at the same time if he did end up getting a second chance at life he didn’t want to neglect everything. College was hard enough as is, he didn’t need to miss a bunch of days and assignments.
He blinked at his thoughts, bewildered that he could even be worried about homework when they were literally being hunted by someone who didn’t seem like any reaper or soul or human alike.
Ember’s words brought him out of his thoughts, his eyes wide. “Oh? You are? Is it healed?!” He asked, suddenly standing and hurrying over to her to examine what used to be a wound. He ran his fingertips over the scar, his eyes wide.
“God you’re so cool… I wish I could heal that fast.”
Ember raised an eyebrow, "you know you'd have to be a reaper to heal like this." To some, being a reaper was a curse. To others, it was a blessing. Ember didn't know what it was to her.
"That was still slow healing for a reaper though." She sighed. Maybe being a reaper had been a blessing. She really missed it.
“I know, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting. I couldn’t be a reaper but it’s still cool.” He flashed her a weak smile, rubbing awkwardly at the back of his neck.
“Maybe it’s because you’re alive now?”
The Reaper crinkled her nose. She still didn't like the idea of being alive.
"You should continue your life as normal ya'know." She had to change the topic. "Or as normal as you can." That wasn't changing the topic. She didn't know what else to talk about. In all honesty Ember didn't know Jamie.
"Also don't forget to eat," you're alive again, she didn't add that part. It was taunting. Ember didn't want to think about it anymore. She was alive.
Her heart thundered in her chest. She needed fresh air- "I'm gonna go look for more clues." An excuse to get away.
Jamie shifted uncomfortably. His normal life felt so distant now. Like he didn't belong there anymore. He wasn't sure he could ever go back to normal. He shrugged softly, sighing deeply.
"I'm not sure I'm ready to go back yet… I'm scared of it." He admitted to her, looking away to find any sort of distraction from his mind. He could try homework. He hated it but at least it kept his mind occupied.
He looked back at her when she spoke again, his eyes going wide.
"Be safe, okay? I'd rather you be here… you're good company." Jamie murmured quietly, hugging himself. He wouldn't admit it but he was a little sad that she was leaving. He didn't want to be alone. "I'll probably be leaving soon to go to the library. My laptop was stolen by the guy who ki- My laptop was stolen. I'll have to access my files and stuff. It'll be easy enough. I kept it all online for this exact reason." He offered her a small, weak smile though his body felt heavy and fatigued already.
(I'm casually crawling out of my depression hole to rp again uwu)
Ember hesitated for a moment, hand on the door knob. She didn't like leaving him alone. Especially after what had just happened the day before. And as far as clues went, she had no idea what she was even looking for. It was pointless. "Never mind," she said at last. She was to tired to even know where to dtart anyway. And getting caught off gaurd like that could mean death- eternal death this time.
"I'll come with you."
(Yay! I’m glad you’re at least feeling better! If you need a break or anything like a virtual hug or really anything Hit me up cuz I got chu!)
Jamie stared at her for a long bit, confused to why she hadn’t left yet. He glanced at her hand on the door knob and opened his mouth to speak only to be met by her own voice.
“Oh. Yeah. The library might have something we can use to figure out our mess too… maybe?” He offered, rubbing at his face.
“I know I slept but hell is all of this making me tired. Just thinking of doing homework is making me brain dead too,” he joked, laughing nervously.
(Duuude, we've had this rp for more than a year now 🥳 also same goes for you! If tou ever need anything just hmu)
Ember chuckled softly at what Jamie said. She might have been dead for a long time, but the thought of homework still haunted her too. "If you need more sleep go for it."
She felt oposit. Yeah she was tired from not sleeping. But she also had a crap ton of energy. Just the idea of figuring out how to get back home excited her. But it was also terrifying in its own little way.
(Yay! Almost one year!! And thankss, y’all do be too kind, too kind)
“I couldn’t sleep anymore. Once I’m up, I’m up.” Jamie stretched out his arms and groaned before he made his way to his bag. He hated seeing the thing now. It gave him bad memories.
“Hey, Ember? Do I just return to my body or does the action that killed me just never happen? W-would there be blood where I died?” He asked suddenly, busying his hands and eyes with pulling out his notebooks and flipping through them. They all seemed to be intact with only a few pages ruined from water and grime and… what he hoped was more grime and not blood.
(Says you, the kidest person ever!)
"I don't know." Ember took a seat. "In all honesty this doesn't even make sense. If you'd just been zapped back to your body, nothing ever happening, then why would you remember? If theres still blood then I shouldn't even be here. My body would have been decomposed, heck the bones might have even been scattered about."
Thinking about it made her want to vomit. Had Audric even barried her? Or had he left her corpus in the lake? If that was the case… her head was spinning. She felt the need to escape Jamie's apartment once again.
There was no way Audric would have dug her a grave. He'd probably left her ther in the water. Had it been cold? Was that why her death mark had been blue lips and ashen skin?
She forced herself to swallow the vomit in her mouth. "It'd have to be the first. Maybe it just never happened."
(Me? Naaahh. I just try my best to make everyone around me comfortable. Idk might be the therapy friend complex XD XD)
“It’s so confusing… I can still remember it, really vividly too… but I don’t have a mark or a wound or anything. And you don’t look as… well, dead.” Jamie examined her face for a moment, tilting his head. God she was so pretty.
“Maybe the library will have something? Why don’t we leave for it now? I have everything I need.” He lifted the notebook and flashed an awkward smile, trying to distract himself from his own mind.
(Oh my gosh Kat xD perhaps make sure to make yourself comfortable too….xD)
"Yeah, maybe." The reaper sprung up. "If there is, then great. If not, i think we're officially screwed." She forced a smile to her face. Could she adjust to living? That was if Audric didnt get her first… what if he hurt Jamie? What would Ember do then? Why did she care? Maybe because she felt responsible for all this trauma, or something else?
(We will, we will XD. I do be working towards that.)
“We might just be screwed, though if we never make it back to the land of the dead, you’re welcome to stay here. I mean, as long as you’re okay with it that is.” He blushed lightly at the suggestion and laughed, shrugging.
Jamie wouldn’t mind the company. In fact he knew he’d enjoy it, Ember was a welcome distraction from day to day life.
He grabbed his keys and a jacket that had been thrown across a chair - probably sometime before the whole being dead thing - and offered his reaper a smile. “Alright, let’s head out. We should take a bus, we’ll be safer in a public setting I think.”
(Well work twords it faster xD)
Ember raised an eyebrow at his flushed face. She still wasn't completely sure the red didn't mean he was sick. But then again, she had no idea that emotions could take on a physical appearance too. "Right then, let's go." She didn't want to consider being stuck. She had died. She'd had her chance, and even the time for a second chance was long past. This world, it had evolved further then she could ever comprehend.
Of course She'd always watched from the shadows as a reaper, but that didn't mean she could even begin to understand phones.
In fact the reaper would always asume it was witch craft.
(XD XD we arreee gotta wait till Wednesday for my therapy appointment)
Jamie hurried forwards as if breaking his own line of sight with her would steady the fast pace of his heart. God he was so stupidly sad. These weren’t real feelings for her. He was idolizing her. That had to be it. She saved him and so he felt something a little more than appreciation. That was it. It was overblown appreciation. Yes. That made sense.
Or at least he hoped so. He wasn’t sure what was going anymore. He felt hot and bothered but he was sure it was just embarrassment from… something over than love.
To distract himself, Jamie led the way through the doors of his apartment with a small narrative about his neighbors and who they were: an older gentleman with a liking of all things historical lived to his left. To his right was empty, as he noted before, but the next door down was occupied by a few young women who went to his same college.
“Y’know at one point they invited me over for a drinking party.” He brought up as he led her to the clean bus stop that sat behind his building.
“I went, like the stupid college kid I am. I didn’t drink anything. I’m not one for alcohol or anything like that. It was a strange experience. I was hit on by a few of them. They were too drunk for me to take them seriously though.”
Ember was only half paying attention to Jamie's ramblings. Her mind was stuck trying to figure out her past. But there was still something there blocking it all.
Going off a previous theory, was the death so traumatic that it could block off an entire life time of memories? But then why would the reaper still remember that horrible feeling of drowning…and the moment's that had led up to it?
"Where are we going?" She had giggled then, The thought of going on an adventure with her husband exciting her. "You'll find out soon enough my dear," he had always called her lovely pet names.
it had been a year now since her dear friend's passing, and thing where finally going back to normal. The young couple could smile again. They where no longer walking on egg shell's around one another.
The two had walked for quiet a while hand in hand along the river. She enjoyed the quiet. But it felt as if the further they went out, the more her stomach dropped. "How much longer?" She complained. "My feet are quiet tired, and there is no path. My skirts are getting tattered."
the next thing the girl knew was that she was freezing, soaked, and very much so dead.
"Hit on you?" Ember snapped back at that. She didn't know why that made her uncomfortable. "Do you think they're pretty?" Why did she care? What would it matter anyway? It would only mean Jamie was one step closer to having a normal life again. And that was all that mattered, because if they where both screwed she didn't think she'd be able to make herself stick around. It wouldn't feel right, even though being around him did.
It felt right and safe, and so so perfect. And yet, Ember couldn't let go of the fact that it also felt wrong. She was his reaper. No matter when he died she'd be there to collect his soul again. It was in that moment that she made up her mind. Jamie would get his second chance.
After everything was sorted out and she was returned to the land of the dead, Ember would not be taking Jamie with her.
